Smith & Wollensky Steakhouse - ChicagoThe Best Steak EVERThere were 4 in our party. Two had the filet mignon and two the legendary Rib Eye. We all agreed it was the best steaks we had ever eaten. The dry aged steaks were sumptuous, bursting with flavor, and cooked to perfection. The wine list was full of choices, and the service was truly exceptional. If you can, ask David, the manager, for Jen's table area. I guarantee extraordinary service, and a delightful dining experience.6/12/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst stopMy husband & I come in from Phoenix once a year. We plan our trip so that we either have a late dinner at Smith & Wollensky or lunch. It is often times the only time we eat out. S & W never fails to deliver great food & service!!
When are they going to expand & open a restaurant in Phoenix?6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMChicago TouristTradition to take my 2 teenage boys out for an extra nice meal during our vacations - usually steak. After doing my homework Smith & Wollensky did not disappoint!6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent Steakhouse in Chicago!!One of the best steakhouse in town!
The food is just excellent, cooked to perfection.
The service is kind of slow, so plan accordingly.
No rush or anything.
Stunning river view.6/4/2013 12:00:00 AMWas in Chicago June 3 withWas in Chicago June 3 with party of 4, attending conference. Very convenient location, right on river next to many hotels. The food incl starters (shrimp, pea-soup, salads), steaks, and sides (potatos, mushrooms) was terrific. Only caveat was that one of 4 of us felt his filet was OK, but not exceptional. The other 3 of us thought our steaks were fantastic (1 x cajun ribeye, 2 x filet). Overall, terrific food, atmosphere, and service - similar to a previous visit 3 yrs ago. I'll be back!6/3/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Place and Great FoodI love this place. I think that this is the BEST steak in Chicago and the best atmosphere....6/3/2013 12:00:00 AMService was great
Food wasService was great
Food was perfect
Wine was xcellant6/3/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways a favoriteGreat food! Whether it's brunch, lunch or dinner, I've never been disappointed. They have great Bloody Marys and oysters around during the day time and excellent steak & seafood for evening dining. There is nice outdoor seating as well as more romantic/scenic dining downstairs by the river.6/2/2013 12:00:00 AMOur waiter JuanOur waiter, Juan was fantastic. So helpful and so much fun. He made our evening extra special... aperfect finish to a perfectly wonderful day in Chicago for theater.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMCrowdedThis place has a phenomenal cajan rib eye!! We were seated outside and it got chilly, that was about my only complaint. I preferred to sit inside but I guess it was that crowded that night.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMSimply the bestWe visit Smith & Wolensky every year when we´re in Chicago for a conference and it´s still the best Steak House I know. The food is excellent, the location superb and the service perfect and I have yet to find someone I know who doesn´t share that opinion. I´m already looking forward to next year.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMBest SteakJust love the place, very accommodating, great setting, love the menu choices.5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMBest saladThe Smith & Wollensky salad is my favorite salad anywhere. We are never disappointed when we visit this extraordinary place. Service is excellent with really nice people working here. Highly recommend.5/30/2013 12:00:00 AM25th Birthday DinnerI took my husband for this 25th birthday on May 30th, 2013. The staff was lovely and gave him a birthday card as we were seated as well as a beautiful chocolate mousse dessert on the house. If you're there for a special occasion but are on a budget, this may not be the place for you. Our bill was $350 and it was for 2 appitizers, 2 meals and 4 mixed drinks. Although it was pricey, it was WELL worth the money. Everything was cooked to perfection and well seasoned! This is our second time going to Smith and Wollensky and we will most definitely be returning!5/30/2013 12:00:00 AMEnjoyed the evening! The serviceEnjoyed the evening! The service was exceptional and the steak was grilled to perfection! Nice job and I will definitely be visiting again when I am in the mood for high quality.5/28/2013 12:00:00 AMSteaksI was disappointed in the filet mignon! $46 is a bit much for a steak that was tuff and tasteless even though I got it with garlic and onions! Loved the ambiance! Might try it again and a different steak!5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMawesome view and food !!!Excellent food, service and view which is reflected in price.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMFamily outingWe celebrated our 8th grade daughter's graduation and selection into one of the top high schools in Chicago, and My wife and I took the occasion to celebrate our 19th wedding anniversary at the same time. So it was a special occasion. The experience and food were fantastic. The server was wonderful and very accommodating and patient especially with our younger children. It really was great experience in fine dining that the kids will remember, and the parents.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMA Special Birthday CelebrationSmith and Wollensky made Judy's Birthday something special. Everything about our dinner experience was outstanding.
"Thanks for the Memories"!!5/22/2013 12:00:00 AMImpeccable ServiceJuan made our 25th anniversary very special. I recommend Juan as your server, to make your night noteworthy.5/21/2013 12:00:00 AMSmith & Wollensky is the placeSmith & Wollensky is the place to celebrate a special occasion. They are particularly generous with their contributions to the celebration from the opening Proseco and manager's greeting to the "giant" piece of chocolate cake. Thank you Smith & Wollensky to ensuring a very happy birthday.5/21/2013 12:00:00 AMBirthday DinnerThe food was good, but I've had better steak. Not to say I didn't enjoy it, but it wasn't amazing. We each had a filet mignon and salad . The service was very accommodating. They seated us outside at a small table, but then moved us when we requested a bigger table (party of 2) without any hassle. It was also a birthday dinner and they comped the dessert without us asking for the birthday girl. Sitting by the river is also really nice! Our server rocked = Gerard5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMBusiness DinnerWe had a business dinner here for 9 and we were fortunate enough to get a table with a view of the river. It was very relaxing. The service was fantastic. Our waiter was very attentive to our needs and the help with the wine list was much appreciated. The food was outstanding as always and the deserts were HUGE to say the least.5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMGood engagement dinner!After proposing just a little while before our dinner, I was looking for a romantic, outdoor dining spot for my new fiance and I. Smith and Wollensky was just that. After a surprise, complimentary toast, we ordered a couple sides that turned out good. My fiance ordered a 14oz steak (I ate half...) and I had the steak and shrimp. The only thing that could have been better was the steaks. Her steak was underdone for a Medium and my steak was overcooked for a Medium. When paying over $45 for steaks, I would of hoped their cooking would have been better. I hate complaining, especially during a celebration dinner like what we were having, but I probably should have said something. Overall a great time despise the overdone/underdone steaks.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMTables too close! Menu/Service goodTables are a little to tight and close to each other, we were a party of four sitting next to a parity of very noisy six people, and every time the leaned back to clap or laugh it was right at our ears!
Besides this, excellent food and service.5/13/2013 12:00:00 AMChicago's finest for steak and wineFlew all the way from California on a friends recommendation and was not disappointed5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMSlightly Overpriced.The service was very good and they had a great wine list. It was a little overpriced but the view and the staff made up for it.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food, service & locationSmith & Wollensky Chicago is amazingly located in River North -- just next to the House of Blues and right on the river. The service is everything you'd expect and more. The cuisine is decadent and scrumptious! From the Truffled Macaroni and Cheese to the perfectly prepared Oscar Style Filet Mignon and everything in between, this is a culinary event you won't soon forget!5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMAn excellent steak house experienceOne of the best steak houses we have been to, on a par with Ruth's Chris, Sullivan's and the like.
Excellent, enthusiastic service. We explained that we didn't have huge appetites - the " small " filet was 10 oz for example. We were encouraged to split a very good rib steak, potatoes and vegetables. The steak was excellent, perfectly cooked to order and divided at our table. Our first visit and we will return.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMBest burger ever!Second time to Smith and Wollensky for lunch. This time we got to sit outside overlooking the Chicago River and the gorgeous Chicago skyline. Beautiful! I can honestly say, they have the best hamburger I've ever had (husband agreed) served with delicious fries and slaw. Service was great too. Can't wait to go back!5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMWe went to celebrate my nephew'sWe went to celebrate my nephew's birthday. Noel gave us a great lecture about the different choices we had for dinner.
Great ambiance and excelent location for our table. Right in front of the river.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMFor the third time in a year,For the third time in a year, Smith & Wollensky was wonderful. Superb service and delicious food. Very well managed restaurant with courteous, polite, and knowledgeable servers and, again, delicious food. What a nice place to celebrate a birthday! or anything!5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat place to dine in ChicagoI'm not a"chain restaurant" guy but S & W is an exception. A group of six of us sat outside on the Chicago River side and had a fantastic lunch. The food was exceptional and the service was even better! I can highly recommend the Wolensky Salad with Salmon. The other two couples who dined with us, had not been to S & W before and were impressed. Add it to your "must eat at" list, you won't be disappointed.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMA must in ChicagoGreat place to dinner, the steaks are awesome and the wine list is great. Ideal for late meals, mainly to witness the sunset at the river shore and the city lights to appear in the landscape.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMMagnificent LunchOur visit was in celebration of our son's graduation from college. Our five entrees were cooked to perfection; our server's descriptions of portion size, spicing, and side suggestions were spot on. Service was attententive without being smothering. We came in with very high expectations, having dined at S&W in NYC, and left feeling we had spent our afternoon amongst friends.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMPre-theater diningWe went to Smith & Wollensky for dinner prior to attending the theater. The food was excellent, great steaks, and the service was outstanding. Because we were dining so early, the restaurant was not crowded and we were able to be seated at a table at the window overlooking the river. There was a slight mixup with our order and were offered complimentary dessert after the theater.5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMLovely experienceBeautiful riverside restaurant with interior and outdoor dining. Calm, light filled upstairs dining area. . Excellent, practiced service provided by friendly staff. Lunch was very good with different types of selections. Shrimp bisque very good, salad average, burger very good. This isn't a "vibrant and high energy" kind of place which is a blessing if you want to speak to your dinner companions. Would be perfect for business lunch, dinner with friends or romantic dinner.5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMUm...Ok. I know it's a chain, but yum. And a beautiful patio. The food is straightforward and very good and the patio is delicious. In the winter, ask for a table on the river. Again, beautiful.5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMNice dining for a special occasionSmith and Wollensky's was a very nice end to our day of shopping in downtown Chicago. The view was fantastic, and the staff was very friendly. Prices are a little on the high side, but the food was very good, and the portion sizes are generous. The service was a little slow, that is the only reason I rated the service as just "good". Overall we had a VERY nice dinner experience at S & W's.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food, was able toExcellent food, was able to enjoy the evening and have dinner on the terrace. Service was very prompt. Wine list is very encompassing. Overall great place for a great steak dinner.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was great and style isFood was great and style is charming - elegant and simple. Everything was tasty, quick and we had good recommendations about the menu. Great place for romantic dinner or special occasions to celebrate or do business with style.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMI have eaten at most of S&W'sI have eaten at most of S&W's in the country, but Chicago's version is the one we always come back to. Something about the location, lights, river, and Martini's I guess. the food and service is always very good. Pricey to be sure, but what isn't in a big city today?4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food. Excellent service.Great food. Excellent service. Would definitely go again.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a reservation and wereWe had a reservation and were seated right away. The water and bread came immediately as did our very friendly server. We ordered a bottle of wine and salads and everything was lovely until we started feeling very warm. Looking around at others seating near us, anyone who could was down to bare arms and necks. We ordered our veggie sides and 28 day dry aged prime beef, very exciting if you are a meat lover. Sipping our wine, the meal arrived and the first bite was heavenly. Unfortunately we were starting to get so warm we could not enjoy our meal. Asking the waiter about the heat, he said the heat was on. We were sitting in an area called the platform, ask not to sit there. We had to take our lovely meal to go as we could not eat.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMWe have a GREAT experienceWe have a GREAT experience at Smith and Wollensky! Our server was wonderful, and the manager gave us a tour of the kitchen and the meat rooms. It was really really cool. Obviously, the food was excellent. The green beans were an unexpected favorite! And the cocunut cake was PERFECT for my birthday treat!4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMService was poor!!!! We orderService was poor!!!! We order bottles of wine and we had to ask several times before they brought them to the table . Water was not refilled and server was rude and slow bit food was fantastic4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMExactly what you'd expect!Exactly what you'd expect from a Smith & Wollensky Steakhouse. The steaks were fantastic, the view was wonderful and the service was very attentive. Ordered the Buttenut Squash soup on special that day but they ran out. The Lobster Bisque was a pleasant substitution. Unexpected surprise was the tour of the kitchen and the aging room. Only complaint was the bottle of red wine we ordered was noticeably warm.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMA great meal at a favorite place.Somehow, every time we are in Chicago we end up for a meal at Smith & Wollensky. It is always outstanding! The drinks are generous pours (everything is a double, so be careful how you order) and the wine list is pretty good too. This time my wife and I split the Coffee and Cocoa Rubbed Filet. Started with a half doz. oysters and finished with fresh berries and whipped cream. We decided to give their private reserve red a try as our wine selection and were very pleased. A nice meritage of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petite Verdot and 2% Malbec. Very nice.
Our server was David. He could not have been better! All in all, a great meal at one of our favorite places.4/22/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulous eveningWe let the restaurant know that we were celebrating an important event and they went out of their way to make our evening special. Outstanding food and device! We will definitely return and recommend to our friends.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMEnjoyed ourselves and hadEnjoyed ourselves and had a very good steak. It was our anniversary so we were just out for a nice dinner. We left happy. People around us were loud but that's not the restaurants fault by any means.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AM